Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

CHAP. VII. Treateth of the opinions of them under the notion of seekers.

SECT. 1.

IN dealing with them under this notion, I will rather adhere to Mr. Saltmarsh his description of them (then their other malicious Sensurers) who defineth them to be of this judgement, viz. That there is neither Church nor ordinance y••••, and that if they did not ••nd with the Prima••ive, or Apostolicall times, yet they are to begin ••s in the Primative time, with Gifts and Miracles.* 1.1

To which Assertions I answer; That Jesus Christ hath alwaies had, and yet hath his Church Militant; for when he departed

in the Flesh, he promised to be with it, even to the end of the world. Now in that he so promised, it must of necessity follow, that the Church must be permanent so long (viz. to the end of the world) for he cannot be said to be with that which is not. Ergo.

2. As to the period and end of Ordinances I answer; they ne∣ver yet ceased, but doe yet continue in their Primative purity; true Anti-christ hath cast his two vailes of Schisme and Heresie upon them, but that of Heresie (lying uppermost,) is so old, that it is falling off by peece-meale; the other of Schisme being so thin, that good eyes doth see truths thorow it; but that also will speedily be taken off, and then they will be visible to each spectator.

3. As touching the Gifts and Miracles, which they expect from them that are to gather the flock of Christ out of Anti∣christian Pastures, I will answer in Mr. Saltmarsh his owne words, viz.

SECT. 2.

1. THat such Gifts and Miracles were rather for bringing the Word into the world, and for glorifying Christs first comming in the Flesh then after, Joh. 20. 29, 30, 31. Mat. 10. 7, 8. Mark 6. 7. Luke 9. 20.

2. That if we must have Miracles to make us beleeve, and not beleeve any truth untill then, we must have for every truth, (as for one, or two,) a Miracle to give it evidence, and so there must be a continuall and new Miracle working, for every new beleeving.

3. If there must be Miracles for beleeving, truth is not of* 1.2 that excellent nature as it seemes, for if it be not able to make it selfe evident, and cast a native or speciall shine, or bright∣nesse upon that Soule it comes into, it is but weake, darke, and insufficient.

4. If truth be not discernable in it selfe, by its owne glorious lightsome nature, by beams from it selfe, it is in a worse conditi∣on then many things below; as the Sunne, Starres, Candles, &c. which bring that light in their owne nature and dispensation, by which they are discerned.

5. If every truth be a beame of Christ the Truth, then every* 1.3 truth hath light in it selfe, because it streames from the fountain of light, and so is discernable.

6. No Miracle can in its owne nature make one beleeve, without a Spirituall conviction from the Spirit of Christ, going along with it; for as we see when Miracles were wrought, some beleeved, and some beleeved not; so there is no such reason for Miracles as pretended, because that conviction which commeth from the Spirit, through the work of a Miracle, may come by another instrumentall, or organicall way; or it is a more glorious opperation, by how much more single, or immediate revelation it worketh.

SECT. 3.

7. THat when Miracles are wrought, yet a Pretender may worke a Miracle for the contrary, like the Sorcerers of Aegypt against Moses; and Antichrist is rather spoken to come with Signes and Wonders of the two then Christ; so that there shall be a losse to any that thinke to beleeve meerly by a Miracle, the Spirit being only that which must make us beleeve, beyond all power of Miracle, which can give out its power but upon the sence at the farthest, being meerly outward, and visible.

8. That the Scriptures of the Gospel, or New Testament, are* 1.4 of such a divine, and even Spirituall glory in the letter, as no other word. There is a power to discover the reasons, and secrets of the heart, which the reason and heart of man witnesseth unto; there is a power to convince, and advise, to terrifie, and comfort; cleerly, undeniably, and experimentally knowne.

9. The Scriptures we have, as they are, doe make a discovery* 1.5 of such a way of religions Reason, as was never yet in any age at∣tained unto; for the men of purest reason, as the old Philoso∣phers, never attained further then the knowledge of some things infinite, which they did not know; a Religion of Morall righte∣ousnesse and purity, and some Sacrifices of attonement, &c. and there is not any Religion in the world, Jewish or Turkish, but they are made up of carnall principles, and are founded upon reason and nature; but this Gospel Religion, hath opened a new

way to salvation, a way of worship, crosse to all Methods, and* 1.6 w••yes of reason; the word opening new wayes by a new Spirit, purifying naturall reason into more divine and glorious notions, then reason ever attained; bringing in a way of beleeving, and placing a Religion, placed upon a spirituall perswasion called faith, which is more proportionable to an infinite God, and an infinite way and depth of Salvation, then reason ever invented. For the Soule to beleeve upon one, even Jesus Christ, in whom God hath laid up all love, and fulnesse, and so for man to come one with him, who is God, and Man. And there cannot be a more rationall way for man to become one with God, then by one, that is both God, and Man.

SECT. 4.

10. THat the Scriptures, or Gospel of the New Testament, being a many hundred yeares old, as from the Apostles even in that originall we have them, no very materiall difference is to be found, albeit the Copies have passed through the greatest Apostacy, God restraining Antichrists power to cor∣rupt them materially, in the originall, to advantage their Here∣sies and corruptions; which very constant preservation of truth, in the very midst of the enemies of truth, is both a constant and standing Miracle of it selfe; and so we need not stay for a Mini∣stry with Miracle, seeing we have a word with Miracle, which in its matter, subject, power, speaking of God, of his Son, God and Man, of his Spirit, the actor in man, from both, by way of out∣ward ordinances, of the depths, windings, and workings of rea∣son, &c. and is of as much efficacy to perswade as any thing else we can have; and though there be not such pouring out of Spi∣rit, and such gifts as beleevers may and shall have, yet all belee∣vers ought to practice so farre of the outward ordinances, as is cleerly revealed; which conviction of his I suppose is sufficient to disswade any rationall man from thinking, that either Mira∣cles, or new gifts of Tongues, is now requisite for the gathering the Church of Christ out of Antichristianisme, as there was in the Apostles time out of Judisme and Heathenisme.

Thus have I (by Gods assistance) confuted the tenents of the Atheists, Anti-scripturians, Papists, Pellagians, Armenians, An∣tinomians,

Seekers, Annabaptists, saving that tenent, from which they have their denomination, which I shall hereafter discourse of, in its more proper place, and in the confutation of these for∣mer opinions, is sufficiently confuted that other r••bble of Schisms and Heresies, which are new coyned with the Presbiterian stampe, unlesse it be the Quakers, divorcers, and Soul-sleepers, which if there be any such, as I hardly beleeve, they may tell thee; 1. That when they be hungry or thirsty, they wil remember themselves; and the second, That to the pure all things are pure; and aske the third, which part of the St. Theife was with Christ in Paradice that day after his Passion, Luk. 23. 24.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Severall ob∣jections of the S••••kers a••∣swered.
• * 1.2

  Ephe. 5. 1••▪
• * 1.3

  Joh. 8. 12. & 9. 5. Rom. 22. 5.
• * 1.4

  Mat. 23. 24.
• * 1.5

  2 Cor. 3. 6. 8, 9. Rom. 11 16. Tim. 3. 16, 17
• * 1.6

  Heb. 4. 12 1 Pet. 1, 19